The former migrant seeks justice: is considering going to court for unemployment benefits

Fighting for a month of unemployment benefits

Kristina, who submitted an application to the editorial office, lost her job at the factory in late April this year, where she had been working since November last year. In early May, she registered on the Employment Service website to obtain unemployment status and benefits.

As soon as he began to search intensively for a new job, he soon found it. In early June, he took a new job and waited for unemployment benefits for May.

“I was informed in advance that I will not receive any benefits in the first month after registering with the Employment Service. So I was not worried.

I started working on June 6 and Sodra informed me that I was covered by social security. I also worked until June 23. I was waiting for unemployment benefits for May. When I didn’t get there, I called Sodra on the general phone. “Ah, that’s where I heard the most absurd and stupid argument,” says Kristina.

After calling Sodra, he allegedly heard that he would not receive benefits because he had not declared his place of residence in Lithuania. The interviewee says that she worked in the UK for a long time and returned to Lithuania in 2017.

“It just came to our attention then. During this entire period, I worked here and paid taxes. Most interestingly, from the Sodra side: you don’t have to declare anything to pay taxes and work. In general, how many foreigners work in Lithuania and Do they have to declare something? ”The former migrant was outraged.

Kristina, who had not received unemployment benefits, called the Ministry of Social Security and Labor, where, according to her, no one could explain or help.

Later, he says by calling the Utena Sodra branch, where the employee allegedly apologized for the error and promised that the woman would receive the benefit by May in early July.

“It just came to our attention then. So I wonder how much longer taxpayers will have to pay to keep all the ‘nonsense’ who pay nothing, do nothing, and don’t want to. Just sending a poor man over to the other, absurd, who needs them then?

For me, as a person living abroad (in a real European country, it is not a sham), I do not understand anything of what is happening here. I only know one thing: I will have to go to court for my benefit. You don’t have to damage your nerves and look for something, “emphasizes Kristina.

Although unemployment status is granted, it is not valid

Saulius Jarmalis, Head of the Communication Department at Sodra, stated that he was unable to comment on the situation of a particular person due to personal data protection requirements.

He points out that the Social Security Unemployment Law stipulates that only people registered as employed by the Employment Service and who have at least 12 months of social unemployment insurance are entitled to the unemployment benefit and can receive and pay the benefit.

Unemployment status is granted by decision of the Employment Service, therefore, the payment of the unemployment benefit is terminated, suspended and resumed upon receipt of data from the Employment Service regarding the grant, revocation (termination), suspension or renewal. of the state of unemployment.

“So if you don’t have enough time on duty or lose your unemployment status, for example, when you go abroad, where a person can start working, unemployment benefits are free,” Jarmalis explains.

It is worth noting that Article 22 of the Employment Law, which regulates the conditions for granting unemployed status, does not establish that people who have already declared their departure from Lithuania cannot obtain unemployed status, therefore, the condition is granted to people.

However, already on the basis of another article of the law, which specifies the conditions for the termination of the situation of the unemployed, the declaration of departure abroad becomes the basis for the termination of the situation of the unemployed.

Thus, the woman found herself at a standstill: Kristina did not declare her place of residence in Lithuania, it is considered that she has still declared her departure abroad. While such conditions make it possible to acquire the status of an unemployed person, they can also become a basis for its abolition.

“If it turns out that a person has declared his departure from Lithuania, the Employment Service is requested to clarify the data on the situation of the unemployed. Upon receipt of data from the Employment Service on the declaration of residence in Lithuania, unemployment benefit is paid, if unemployment can be expected later after declaring the place of residence in Lithuania, explains Sodra.

S. Jarmalis notes that residents are advised to always inform specialists of the Employment Service and Sodra about changes in circumstances that affect the payment of unemployment benefits and loss of unemployment status, such as starting work in Lithuania or abroad, go abroad to find a job or leave Lithuania. statement.